Economist Sidney Ricky Bassett Shanks, 60, jailed on child exploitation charges

A high-ranking bureaucrat who worked for Queensland Treasury and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has been jailed for making and distributing child exploitation material.

Economist Sidney Ricky Bassett Shanks, 60, pleaded guilty in Brisbane’s District Court to one count each of possessing, making and distributing child exploitation material. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

 

A “high level” bureaucrat who worked for Queensland Treasury and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has been jailed on child exploitation charges.

Economist Sidney Ricky Bassett Shanks, 60, pleaded guilty in Brisbane’s District Court to one count each of possessing, making and distributing child exploitation material, three counts of indecent treatment of children under 16, and two counts of stalking.

Police raided Shanks’ Coorparoo home in December and located about 730 category one and two child exploitation images and 27 videos, the court heard on Wednesday.

Shanks also operated a number of social media accounts displaying images of women in bikinis and sexualised positions whose heads had been replaced with the faces of two females including an adult neighbour and the other a child, the court heard.

The adult victim told the court in an impact statement that the offending had “ severely affected her psychologically.”

Shanks’ barrister John Fraser said his client had no criminal history at the time and had worked at a “pretty high level” as an economist in state and federal governments.

He was initially suspended with pay from Queensland Treasury before he resigned, Mr Fraser said.

A number of character references along with a letter of apology by Shanks were tendered to the court.

Mr Fraser said it was an early plea and Shanks had co-operated fully with police.

Shanks was getting treatment from a psychologist and had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder.

Judge Paul Smith said there were some indications of a lack of insight but he regarded the apology letter as genuine and accepted it was out of character behaviour.

He said it was “very weird” offending.

“You worked professionally as an economist for government organisations to a high level and it’s bizarre you committed these offences,” Judge Smith said.

Shanks was jailed for three years with the sentence to be suspended after he served six months custody.